Display showcase



"May21,194 0. A L NLUCAS 2,201,696

DISPLAY SHOWCASE Filed Nov. 30. 1938 /4 '2f' /8 /5 2 0 I /2 /5 f 9 gg ,i i 1927/6722507 9 Zwrezce fwoya Zaca'.

Z M g \/2 22 *gp .Hiatt-0772635 Patented May21, 1940 DISPLAY SHOWCASE Lawrence Newton Lucas, Evanston, Ill., assignor to The Bastian-Blessing Company. Chicago, 11i., a corporation of Illinois Application November 30, 1938, Serial No. 243,065

11 Claims.

This invention relates to showcases and particularly to display showcases. It has for one object to provide a transparent cover or closure for an opening in a showcase irrespective of the location or positioning of thewopening. In the particular form here shown the opening is in the top of the showcase and the cover is, therefore, arranged to close an opening so located. The opening might be otherwise positioned. Another object` is to provide a closure for an open-topped vcontainer so arranged that the closure and the contents of the container are lighted.- Another object is to provide in connection with a transparent cover a receptacle means for heating a part of the cover to reduce or eliminate condensation. Another object is to provide an open-topped refrigerated containerv so arranged and proportioned that proper temperature conditions are maintained within' the container without the use of anl insulated or insulating top or cover. Another object is to provide in connection with an open-topped refrigerated container means for eliminating condensation and fogging upon a transparent cover for said container. .f

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and the claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing, wherein: a

Figure l is device; v

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross section taken at line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3` is a transverse vertical sectional detail taken at line -3-3 of Figure 2;

Figurel 4 is a vertical sectional enlarged detail showing the edge construction of thev container.

Like parts are designated by like characters throughout the specification and the drawing.

I indicates generally the outer shell or covering of the bodyof a refrigerated receptacle. 2 .is a body of insulating material which may be of any desired type and may bel arranged in any desired manner. 3 indicates the inside lin- =ing member of the device which encloses. the storage and display space. Refrigerating means 4 are provided and they may be contained in vrL the space 5, which is bounded by the inner wall 3 and by an additional outer .wall member 6. Any desired sort of refrigerating means may be provided, and the one shown is merely diagrammatic and indicative of the fact that refrigerating means are contemplated ,as a part of the device. to which ,the invention may be applied.

a plan view-oi one form of the A bottom wall 1 defines' the bottom of the display and storage space.

mounted a housing I4 having a reecting lining I5. Within the housing is positioned a light source I6. A removable end plug IGa may be provided to 4permit the positioning of the light in either end of the housing I4. The light bulb socket, itself, may, if desired, be hinged as at I6b.

The frame or housing for the glass includes also` side members I1, which, if desired, may be provided with perforations I8. As shown, the glass housing is made of wood or analogous material and is provided with a casing I9 of metal or other finishing material. The invention is, of course, not limited to these details of construction.

If desired, the perforations I8 vmay be omitted and the glass II is so positioned in its frame or housing that clearances 20 and 2I are provided. These clearances are positioned respectively at the upper and of the housing and at the lower or lighted end.

' As a matter of convenience the closure vassembly may be positioned upon the container in any'desired manner. It may be hinged,A as shown, .or merely removably placed upon the device or grooves and guides might be arranged so that it could slide into piace. The invention is not limitedl to any particular means of` t Jgroove .formed in -the body of the container.

vAlthough I have shown lan operative form of xmy device, it will be understood that many y changes in the form, shape and arrangement of parts might be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I wish that my showing be taken as in a lsense diagrammatic. In particular, the transparent material of the sheet II might be madeof glass or any other desired material, and the invention is not limited to any particular material in this respect. Whatever material' is used, it might be used in a single sheet or in a laminated sheet, and the invention is not limited, therefore, to the use of a single sheet of material. Also, the position and means of mounting the shelf 8 might be varied to suit the particular installation and conditions of use. The invention is not limited to any particular arrangement or material of shelves or supporting devices. For some purposes, there might even be no shelves.

Where I have spoken of the depth of cold air and the height of the walls of the cabinet as determining that depth, Ihmean that the walls are of such size and the depth of the container compartment is such that suilicient quantity and depth of cold air is retained, and I recognize that the depth of the cold air is largely determined by the position of the'refrigerating walls and that the mere depth of the compartment alone will not suffice. There must be both adequate depth and adequate cooling, and properly positioned cooling-L In general, the dimensions and the cooling arrangements must be such that a sufcient body f cold air is trapped and retained.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

The device is primarily applicable where the cooling temperatures are relatively low such as,

Y wise condensation and cloudiness occurs. In the present invention this has been found to be une necessary. If the housing is so arranged that the cold air cannot spill out and if it is so proportioned that a sufiicient depth of cold air is retained, then it is unnecessary to have an insulated cover. The cold air stays in the housing because it falls of its own weight and the housing is so proportioned that an adequate depth of cold air-is dropped and retained. Experiment has shown that this air will remain adequately f uses preferably a single piece of glass.

cold, even though the air in the top most portion of the chamber approaches room temperature, no harm results.

` Since an insulated transparent cover is not essential the structure of the present invention Means are provided to permit movement of air about the glass. Ihis means may include the clearances 20 and 2l or the opening I8 or other means, but it is preferable to have some passages or openings through which air may move past the glass and by means of which, moisture laden air from below may escape. This has one important principle -namely that it prevents the deposit of moisture on the undersurface ofthe glass. In order to prevent the deposit of moisture on the glass it has been found advantageous to heat the` glass somewhat and this may be done in any desirable way, but it is economical to accomplish it as here shown, by the means which illuminates the cabinet. Since the present invention involves mainly a display showcase, it must be lighted and it is convenient to arrange the light source so that it alsofurnishes the necessary heat. For that purpose the light housing is given a highly reflective lining l5 and some of` the light is reflected from this lining and some passes directly from the light. Therelation of the reflector and the lining and frame member I2 is preferably such as to cause the light to foilow the path indicated by the arrows of Figure 2. This insures adequate illumination of the case and its contents and also furnishes sumcient heat along the sheet of transparent material and in the upper part of the cabinet to prevent an accumulation of moisture on the glass It will be realized that, whereas I have described and illustratedl a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawing to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than limiting me to my precise showing.

I claim: y

1. In combination in a refrigerated display case, an' insulated housing member, means for cooling it, an opening in the housing member to permit access to and inspection of the contents of said housing, the opening to said housing being so positioned that the housing provides a cold air trap having walls and a bottom, the height of said walls being such as to retain by gravity a sufilclent depth of cold air within the housing irrespective of any closure for the opening, a removable closure for said opening including a non-insulating transparent member and means defining Ventilating passages adjacent the edges of said transparent member.

2. In combination in a refrigerating display case, a housing member, means for cooling it, said housing member having insulated walls and bottom, an opening in vthe housing member to permit access to and inspection of the contents of said housing, the opening to said housing being so ,positioned that the housing provides a cold air trap having walls and a bottom, the height of said walls being such as to retain by gravity a sumcient depth of cold air within the housing irrespective of a'ny closure for the opening, a removable, uninsulated closure for said opening, said closure including an uninsulated sheet formed of a single unitary piece of transparent material, a supporting structure for said sheet, means for heating said sheet there being Ventilating openings freely open to the interior of said housing member and past said sheet of transparent material. v

3. In combination in a refrigerating display case, a housing member, means for cooling it, an opening in the housing member to permit access to and inspection of the contents of said housing, the opening to said housing being so positioned that the housing provides a cold air trap having nsulated walls and an insulated bottom, the height of said walls being such as to retain by gravity a suiilcient depth of cold air within the housing, irrespective of any closure for the opening, a-removable, uninsulated closure for said opening. said closure including a single sheet of transparent material, a supporting' structure for said sheet, means for Iilluminating said sheet and Ventilating openings from the exterior to the interior of said housing member past said sheet of material.

4. In combination in a Arefrigerating display case, an insulated housing member, means for cooling it, an opening vin the top part of said housing member to permit access to and inspection of the contents of said housing, the opening to `said housing being so positioned that the housing provides a cold air trap having walls and a of said housing, the opening to said housing being so positioned that the housing provides a cold air trap having walls and a bottom the height of said walls beingsuch as to -retain by gravity a suiiicient depth of cold air within the housing irrespective of any closure for said opening, said closure including a sheet of trans-y parent material, a supporting structure of said sheet, means for illuminating and heating 'said sheet, and Ventilating openings past said sheet of material and through the supporting structure.

6. In combination in a display refrigerating container, insulated, non-transparent wall means defining a chamber, an opening to said chamber, reirigerating means for said chamber, a movable closure for said opening, said container proportioned to retain cold air to a depth necessary to accomplish adequate refrigeration irrespective of the position of said closure, said closure comprising a sheet of transparent material, a supporting structure therefor and means for lighting said closure, and means for circulating air from below along said sheet of transparent material, and thereafter discharging said air to the exterior past said sheet of transparent material.

v'1. In combination in"a'display refrigerating container, insulated wall means defining a chamber, an opening in the top part of said chamber, refrigerating means for said chamber, a movable closure for said opening, said container be ing of sufllcient depth and proportioned tor'etain cold air to a depth necessary to accomplish adequate refrigeration irrespective of the position of said closure, said closure comprising an upwardly inclined single sheet of uninsulated, transparent material, a supporting structure therefor and means for lighting saidclosure, and for illuminating the interior of said chamber, said last mentioned means being positioned adjacent the lower end of said transparent sheet and being adapted to heat said sheet to create a circulation of air upwardly along the inner face of said sheet whereby'to prevent formation of condensation thereon. A

it. In combination ina display refrigerating container,I insulated, non-transparent wall means defining a chamber, an `opening in the top part of ysaid chamber, refrigerating means for said zchamber, a movable closure for said-opening,

said container being' of sufficient depth and proportioned to retain cold air to a depth'necessary to'accomplish adequate refrigeration irrespective of the position of said closure, said closure being uninsulated and comprising a sheet of transparent material, a supporting structure therefor and means for lighting said closure, and yfor illuminating the interior of said chamber, said last mentioned means adapted also to heat said sheet of transparent material and means for circulating air from below along said sheet of material, and for thereafter discharging it to the exterior.

9. In combination 1n a display refrigerating container, insulated Wall means deiining a chamber, an opening in the upper part of said chamber, refrigerating means for said chamber, and

a movable closure for said opening, said container being of suiilcient depth below the margins of the said opening to retain cold air to a depth necessary to accomplish adequate refrigeration irrespective of the position of said closure, said closure comprising a removable supporting structure of approximately the size of said opening, and including frame members having perforations formed in them, and including, also, a transparent, uninsulated sheet-like member forming one wall of said closure, said supporting structurelbeing, also, uninsulated, and lighting means positioned on said supporting structure to move with it for illuminating the interior of said chamber, and adapted to heat said transparent matemovable closure for said opening, vsaid container being of sufficient depth below the margins of the said opening to retain cold air to a depth necessary to accomplish adequate refrigeration irrespective of the position of said closure, said closureA comprising a removable supporting structure of approximately the size of said opening, and including frame members having perforations formed in them, and including, also, a transparent, uninsulated sheet-like member forming one wall of saidl closure, said supporting structure being, also, uninsulated, and lighting means positioned on said supporting structure to move Withvit for illuminating the interior of said chamber, and adapted to heat said transparent material, said transparent sheet of material being positioned at an inclination with respect to the horizontal, and being out of contact with the supporting structure at its upper and lower edges.

11. In combination in a display refrigerating container, insulated wall means deiining a chamber, an opening in the upper part of said chamber, refrigerating means for said. chamber, and 1 depth necessary to accomplish adequate refrigeration irrespective of the position of said closure, said closure comprising a removable supporting structure of approximately the size of said opening, and including frame members having perfor-ations formed in them, and including,

also, a transparent, uninsulated sheet-like member forming one wall of said closure, said supporting structure being, also, uninsulated, and lighting means Jpositioned on said supporting structure to move with it for illuminating .the interior of said chamber, and adapted to heat said transparent material, said transparent sheet of material being positioned at an inclination'l LAWRENCE NEWTUN LUCAS.l 

